How do I learn?

As I reflect on my educational path, I notice I have always been drawn learning conducted in a lecture and discussion format. I am an auditory learner at my core. I want someone to speak to me about a topic and then give me the chance to ask questions and conduct a discussion of the nuances of it. But, I am not simply an auditory learner. Indeed, I enjoy the introduction to any material to be in a lecture or discussion format, but I also like visuals to be incorporated. When I am listening to a discussion or a lecture, I take detailed notes, which is a characteristic of a visual learner. I need to be able to return to the content and see what I have written down. My notes include arrows, brackets, lines and other shapes that connect pieces of content in a way that allows me to reinforce my understanding upon review. As an auditory-visual learner I enjoy seeing a teacher's movements, body language and physical emotions as well as hearing their vocal inflections and emphasis when presenting material. I think this is reflected in my own approach to explaining concepts, as I will usually move about space along with changing the volume, tone and inflection of my voice to emphasize certain points or content.

When it comes to specific intelligences that I believe I exhibit, I would place myself in two categories: verbal/linguistic and interpersonal. I am a stickler for using words according to their proper meaning and in the right context. It bothers me when a word is used out of context. Recently, I read an article where the word "glimmering" was used to mean "shimmering". A glimmer is a faint shine. The author's goal was to, figuratively, describe something shining brightly. A word that may have worked better in this specific context is "shimmering".

My interpersonal intelligence comes from always trying to exercise empathy. I try to please people, and I always want to know how others feel about something. At times, this intelligence can be a fault as I become too wrapped up in what others think. I strive to clearly understand another's point of view. My goal is to find a way to communicate with each person in a way that makes them happy and is highly productive. I like to ask questions and often can understand another's perspective well without ascribing any judgement. This is an intelligence I seek to develop and exercise in all facets of my life, but it is a necessity in the field of instructional design. When creating a learning experience, each piece must be looked at from the learner's perspective.

Because learning experiences cannot always incorporate every learning style and intelligence, learning professionals must be deliberate about the ones to which they appeal. Sometimes the content or delivery method may restrict designing for certain learning styles or intelligences. If this is the case, the first step is understanding the strengths of the lesson with regard to individual learning styles. With this knowledge, a designer or educator should try to improve or broaden the experience without compromising the efficiency and effectivity of the lesson.